Nightmares
by Scarpaw
Summary: Nightmares. The very things that used to haunt you as a child. It happens to every kid. But, not Zak Saturday. Not once has he ever had a nightmare. That is, until something happens...
1. The Phoenix and Its Prey

Hi! Shocked to see, this aren't you? :D I wasn't planning on posting this quite yet, but I had a reader pm me wanting me to write it real bad. So, here it is.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays**

**Preface**

Nightmares are common. Everybody has them. Whether they be about dying, being kidnapped, your creepy paper boy, everybody has them. Nobody is an exception. Everybody has one at least once.

Everybody that is, except for one Zak Saturday…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1**

Not ever had Zak Saturday had a nightmare. Not after the Kumari Kandam incident, the Owlman incident, heck, he didn't even have a nightmare after they had to have Fisk participate in underground Cryptid fights!

Not once did he have a nightmare. _Ever._

That is, until something happened that caused everything to spiral out of control…

Zak had been bored, that's all. Of course, that's to be expected, with him being eleven and all, with nothing to do in an Egyptian Bazaar besides run around with Fiskerton.

He had seen an old man in a cloak, and the old man had beckoned him forward with a gnarled finger. Zak knew he shouldn't talk to strangers or even go off with them, as was his parents' teachings, but this old guy didn't seem like he could hurt him. In fact, the old man didn't even look like he could barely walk without the cane he had in his left gnarled hand that was just as gnarled as his hands.

So, Zak had gone up to the man, albeit slowly, but before he could ask what the man wanted, he started talking in a harsh raspy voice.

"Follow me." Was the raspy order Zak received. The man started limping away from the Bazaar, and Zak hesitated in following him- his parents had told him to stay in the Bazaar. But, then again, his parents weren't here right now. It was only him, Fisk, and Komodo, and Komodo was off sunbathing in a corner and he had lost Fisk in the crowd somewhere, so, really, where was the harm?

So, Zak followed the man, not knowing what he was getting himself into…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Zak tumbled behind another sand dune, keeping an eye towards the sky. He had been an idiot for following the old man.

The man had released a vicious bird on him apparently wanting to use him as some sort of sacrifice to the bird.

The bird was a Phoenix, the bird of fire which lived in the desert because of its immense heat.

Of course Zak knew the Phoenix was a Cryptid and he could control it with his Cryptid Powers, it was just that he needed the Hand of T'sul Kalu(**1**), or The Claw, to help. And right now, the claw was about a hundred meters in front of the sand dune he was currently hiding behind, and there was no way he could make it without becoming bird feed. And it didn't help that Fisk or Komodo weren't here to help him.

"Aw crap!" Zak yelped as he ran out of his hiding spot as the Phoenix dived for him, having found his hiding spot. There was no way for him to win! And, he couldn't run back to the Bazaar because every time he tried, the Phoenix cut his path off.

What was he supposed to do now? He needed to get out of there, but how? There was no way out.

The Phoenix dove for him again, and Zak barely made it out of the way with his arm intact. He dove behind another sand dune, trying to quickly think of a new plan. And, unfortunately for him, he was failing abysmally.

All of a sudden he felt an intense heat surrounding him.

He was surrounded by burning fire, courtesy of the Phoenix that was currently after him to eat his innards.

Zak knew now that there was no way out. He was going to die, all because of his own stupidity.

And the Phoenix dove for Zak's body in the center of the ring of flames.

And then, Zak knew no more.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**1- Sorry, not sure how that's spelled. If somebody wants to correct me, you may and I'll fix it.**

Yeah, I know, short and not up to my normal standards of between 900-1000 word chapter. Sorry.

Well, please read and review, and tell me what you think of the first chapter of **Nightmares**.

-Scarpaw Signing Out-


	2. Twisting The Scene

I'm glad you guys liked the first chapter. Your reviews made me extremely happy. So, here's the second chapter!

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays**

**Chapter 2**

This was a nightmare. That was the only way to explain it. He, Zak Saturday, was having a nightmare, as strange as the thought was. But, really, it was the only way to explain what was happening to him.

He was alive. Well, at least he _thought_ he was alive. For all Zak knew, he could very well be possibly dead, as he was floating in a dark black abyss.

Floating. That's what he was doing, floating. He was standing, sitting, or tap-dancing, he was _floating_ in this dark black abyss. His feet weren't touching anything that could be called a floor, so he was floating, by the way his feet were falling down.

But, if he really was asleep, dreaming- nightmaring if you prefer -how was that possible? He didn't remember falling asleep, so how did that happen? It was quite possible that he had been so bored that he fell asleep, but it didn't make any _sense_. His dream with him fighting the phoenix by himself was so realistic that it didn't seem plausible that it was a dream.

But, right now, he really, really hoped that it was just a dream. He didn't want to be dead for real. He was only eleven! He still had his whole life ahead of him!

And somehow, his wishes obeyed him as the black background of the place he was in started twisting and turning, colors adding to the bleak background.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Hee hee,"_ A girl's voice laughed childishly, echoing through Zak's dream realm. "_This one's a fun one! I wonder… What will happen next?_" Her voice seemed to make her the same age as Zak, but where was she?

"Where are you?" Zak called out as the scene finally decided on one it liked. He was now in Africa. How suiting. The girls' voice giggled again.

"_Oh, you can hear me!_" She seemed oddly happy about this. "_Well, I guess this one isn't a dud then. Well, let's get on with the show!_" She dodged the question. How smooth.

A pair of hands clapping echoed through the dream world, leaving Zak to his own devices.

He still had The Claw, which gave him some reassurance- that meant the girl controlling this world wanted him to put up at least the image of a fight.

"What is she doing?" Zak asked himself, wondering what she was up to. There were only two Cryptid's that he knew of in Africa- the flashlight frogs and the Biloko.

"_Oh phooey, you're so boring!_" The girl's voice echoed, whining. "_Do you honestly think I have no imagination? Now that you know there's someone controlling this dream realm, I can do anything I want._" There was a snapping of fingers, and the scene blended together and his area changed.

"_But, seeing as you want things oh so __**perfect,**_" The girl spat the word 'perfect' as if it was poison. "_I'll abide just this once._"

Zak's area was icy. He recognized where this place was. It was Ellef Ringness, where he fought the Amaroks with Doyle. And the only reason he won was because of The Claw…

Which he still had, last time he checked. Reaching for it, he picked it up and held it defensively before him. This was going to be easy. A piece of cake.

"_Uh-uh!_" The girl's tone told him she wasn't happy with him. "_No toys!_" And her fingers snapped, and with the echo of the sound, The Claw was gone.

Now Zak was scared. He was all alone, up against Amaroks, or, at least, was going to be. Things didn't look bright for him.

And, then, all of a sudden, the Amaroks appeared.

Zak didn't know what to do, so he did what he did when he was with Fisk- he ran. He remembered the area well for only running through it once, and ran down the way he knew would lead away from the Amaroks.

He had only taken one turn when he met with a dead end.

Of course. Why didn't he realize it? That girl had said she controlled this reality, meaning she could do anything she wanted!

So, he had to figure a way to counter-act her powers. But how?

Then, it hit him.

_Dream realm._

This was his dream! He could control it and do anything he wanted to in this!

So, he closed his eyes and focused for him to be anywhere- anywhere but here. Home. That's where he wanted to go. Home.

And his surroundings started to blend together.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

He was back home- but how?

For the life of him he couldn't remember how he managed that accomplishment. It made him feel kind of like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz at the end of the movie how she just wished to be home and she was.

But, then again, Dorothy didn't have an evil girl controlling her dreams and reality to make anything she wanted happen, now did she?

Zak then realized something.

His parents, Fisk, Zon and Komodo- he hadn't seen them before he fought with the phoenix in his first dream!

So, were they allusions as well?

Or, had they been actually real? Stuck in this dream world with him?

Zak wasn't sure, but it was a possibility.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So yeah, one, I don't own the Wizard of Oz, and two, I'm sorry if this chapter sucked. So, yeah...

Please read and review and tell me what you think!

-Scarpaw Signing Out-


	3. Natalie

Is this real? Or just another nightmare? Zak's confused and not sure of what to think...

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays**

**Chapter 3**

"This is not fair!" A girl whined. She was eight years old, and had corn silk blonde hair tied back tightly into pigtail braids. Her eyes were a bright aquamarine blue that were nowhere near happy.

"He's not playing by the rules!" She whined furiously. "He's supposed to play by the rules! Daddy!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Daddy!_" The scream echoed through the dreamscape of Zak's mind, and it reminded him that he wasn't home free yet. He still had to find his parents in this twisted dreamscape.

But, where should he look? There was no place that he could think of looking.

But, as he thought harder, he realized there were places he could look for his parents and family members. His mom could be in her garden of cryptid plants, dad in the training room. Zon, her nest… Fisk and Komodo he'd ponder later.

So, with a resolute face he set off for his mother's Cryptid garden.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What is it Natalie?" A man sighed, walking into the room. His daughter had brought their guest's son in here to play with him, and now something was wrong.

"Zakky won't play by the rules!" Natalie whined, pointing to said kids' body.

Zak was strapped to a lab table, with a weird looking helmet on his head, and he seemed to be sleeping. The man seemed aghast.

"Natalie!" The man berated his daughter. "I've told you countless times not to mess with that!"

Natalie pouted out her bottom lip, looking up at her father.

"But daddy!" She protested. Her father shook her head.

"No buts, young lady!" He told his daughter, starting to shut down the machine.

However, when he pressed the button that would turn it completely off, it wouldn't work. He turned to his daughter.

"Natalie," He said warningly. "What did you do?" Natalie bit her lip and messed with the floor with her foot.

"Well, when I was turning it on there was kinda a small spark that appeared…" Natalie told her father nervously. "But I didn't think it did any harm!" The man groaned and slapped his head. He had to fetch Zak's parents. They could help him more.

"Stay here and don't touch anything." He ordered his daughter, and Natalie rolled her eyes.

Stupid father, telling her what to do.

She hated being ordered around!

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Zak wandered the Cryptid garden, looking for his mother. She wasn't down there. Why not? It seemed strange and a little fishy. This was his dreamscape, shouldn't he be able to control what happens?

"_Not exactly._" The voice was dejected, like she had just been reprimanded severely. "_This is a holographic reality. Not real._" Zak was confused. If this was a holographic reality, how was he able to change the scenery?

"_It's connected to your neurons._" The girl's voice told him. "_Gee, don't you remember anything? You're no fun._"

Zak was confused- what was this girl talking about? He didn't get it.

"_You. Are. An. __**Idiot.**_" The girl spat the last word venomously. "_You're going to get me in serious trouble Zakky!_" Zakky? Nobody called him Zakky. Well, not that he remembered.

"_Zakky, I've said it once, I'll say it again._" The girl said. "_You're an idiot!_"

"Hey!" Zak finally found his voice. "I'm not an idiot!" The girl giggled.

"_Are too Zakky!_" She giggled. Zak glared at the roof of his mom's garden.

"Are not Natalie!" The girl giggled, and Zak just realized that he had called the girl by name. If that really was her name, that is.

"_You finally said my name Zakky!_" The girl, Natalie, giggled. "_Knew you'd remember it! Now, if only you'd remember everything else!_"

Everything else? What was Natalie talking about?

Then, it hit him. Zak remembered.

His parents and he had been visiting an old friend of theirs, and they had an eight year old daughter. He had been told to play with the girl, and he had grudgingly done so. He didn't want to play with some dumb eight year old! A _girl_, at that!

But really, they hadn't played anything. The girl- Natalie -had seemed more interested in his family's stuff on cryptids. Then, she had made an interesting bet with him- that he couldn't take on a fully fledged phoenix by himself. With absolutely no help from Fisk or Komodo or Zon or his parents. Just him. And win, as well.

Zak had just laughed and said that there was no way she could no where there was a phoenix around for him to fight. But, Natalie had just laughed and led him from the room they had been in and showed him a room full of high-tech machines.

Natalie had told him that the machine was a machine that could project any place in the world, controlled externally and controlled by the user. A holographic world. The default world was just darkness.

When Zak had asked her if they were allowed to use this, Natalie had nodded her head and said that her Daddy let her play with it all the time. She said that it could procure a phoenix that he could fight. Natalie had then asked if they had a bet.

Zak had agreed and let the eight year old girl hook him up to the machine and had had his mind transported into the holographic realm that was so like the real world that you wouldn't be able to tell fiction from reality.

"_That's right Zakky!_" Natalie giggled. "_And, you lost the fight! That means I win the bet!_" Natalie laughed happily over what Zak could only assume now was the intercom that hooked into this holographic reality.

"Ha ha," Zak laughed. "Now, can you get me out of here?" Natalie's laughing instantly stopped. Zak picked up instantly, and worry filled his mind.

"_There's a problem there Zakky…_" Natalie said, ashamed.

"What? What is it?" Zak asked, scared. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good.

"_Well,_" Natalie's voice came slowly over the intercom. "_The machine's __**kinda**__ broken…_" Zak flipped. How was he going to get out? Was he ever going to see his family again? Would they be able to defeat Argost without him?

All these thoughts and more were rushing through his head at light speed, and Zak didn't even take notice to Natalie trying to tell him something else.

Right then and there, Zak fainted.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's right, Zak **_fainted._** Shocking, right? Not really. Seriously, if you had been in his situation, what would you have done? Shrugged your shoulders and said alright?

I don't think so.

Please read and review and tell me what you think!

-Scarpaw Signing Out-


	4. Apollo, The Dream Walker

I'm back with the fourth chapter of **Nightmares** battling that foul disease we writers shalt call writer's block!! Uh, yeah... No life here... But! Anyways, I'm glad everybody likes this story so far as well as those of you who read **What If?** and like that. To be honest, I didn't expect either of these to be quite popular. And, I have sad news: This is only going to be about two more chapters. How? Read the chapter and find out.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays**

**Chapter 4**

The next thing Zak, knew he was floating in a dark abyss again.

"Natalie?" He called out, hoping to reach the blonde, but received no response. What was going on? Was it possible, that… that that hadn't actually been real? That this had all been just fake? But how? And why?

This was really weird, and Zak didn't get it. Why was it happening to him? This didn't make sense.

Zak desperately tried to think of what the last thing he actually remembered was. He couldn't remember a thing. The first thing he remembered was that weird old man beckoning him of and him fighting the phoenix.

But that couldn't be right, could it? Zak didn't get any of this! It was like nothing here was supposed to make sense. Like it was some big messed up dream.

_**Um, that's the point.**_ Zak jumped at the voice. Was it Natalie? No, this voice seemed older than the eight year old.

"W-what?" Zak was confused.

_**This is a dream.**_ The voice reiterated. _**Nothing is supposed to make sense. What are you, blonde?**_

Zak furrowed his brow, confused.

"I'm not blonde!" Zak protested. "My hair's black and white, thank you very much!"

_**Blonde's a state of mind not a hair color.**_ The voice told him. When Zak still didn't get it, the voice sighed.

_**I'm calling you an IDIOT!**_ The voice practically screeched at him. _**IS THAT SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND?!?!?!?! I-DI-OT!**_ Zak cringed a little.

"You didn't have to be so mean…" Zak whined, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and the voice scoffed.

_**You deserved it.**_ Zak looked up (or was it down? Really, if this was a dream, was any of this supposed to make sense?)

"Who are you, anyways?" He asked, and the voice shut up.

_**I am not obliged to tell.**_ The voice clammed up, refusing to speak. Zak pressed.

"Come on!" He pleaded. "I need something to do!"

_**Fine.**_ The voice said. _**I'll just summon up some Amaroks for you to play with.**_ Zak shook his head and took a step back.

"Uh, no thank you," He replied. "Besides, isn't this my dream? Doesn't that mean I can do anything I want?" The voice laughed.

_**So, I can still change things if I want to.**_ Zak gave a confused look towards the ground (or was it the sky? I guess we'll never know.)

"Wait- how?" Zak was confused. "Just who are you?" The voice sighed.

_**You aren't going to give up, are you?**_ The voice asked, and Zak shook his head in response. _**Fine. This is going against everything I've been told and breaking all the rules, but I suppose you're worth it.**_

Before Zak could question what the voice was talking about, the sound of fingers snapping echoed through his mindscape (or was it dreamscape?) and the scene started swirling sickeningly, adding color amidst the black.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

In front of Zak now stood a girl, his age. The girl had shoulder length tan hair, and her eyes were a hazel color. She wore a black shirt with a blue pleated skirt with a light brown coat thrown haphazardly over her shoulders. Her feet were bare.

Their current background was a grassy hill with green grass and a tree at the top of the hill. The sky was blue, with huge fluffy clouds in the sky as if they were painted there. The sun was shining brightly up in the corner of the picture, making it seem like it was around lunch time in this strange dream world.

"Hello Zak Saturday," The girl said, her head tilting to the side as a serene smile placed itself onto her face. "My name is Apollo." She held out her hand, and Zak, not knowing what else to do, took her hand and shook it.

"Hi… Apollo." The name sounded strange on his tongue. Apollo just didn't seem like a girls' name. To him, it was more like a guys'. The girl, Apollo, though just seemed to smile even more wide, if that was possible.

"Yes," she smiled, her demeanor way different than before when the background was black. "I am Apollo and you are Zak." She giggled, but immediately stopped after a few seconds and scratched the back of her head.

"S-sorry," She apologized, blush creeping onto her face. "It's not often that I meet someone new, let alone someone my age." Zak just laughed a bit nervously.

"It's alright?" He replied, his statement more of a question. Apollo just gave another laugh that sounded like bells.

"I digress," She said. "You wanted answers, yes?" Zak nodded, and Apollo smiled.

"I am what you humans would call a mythical creature- a Cryptid so to speak," Apollo told Zak, and paused, analyzing his reaction. Zak looked at Apollo for a second with a blank look, before smiling.

"That's cool," Zak smiled. "I've never seen a Cryptid as…" He paused trying to find the right word. "Humane? As you." Apollo smiled and laughed.

"What about Fiskerton?" She asked Zak simply. "Surely you would have hurt his feelings had he heard you say that. Is he not just as humane as I am?" Zak laughed nervously.

"Well," Zak said. "I mean, Fisk doesn't look like a human, like you." Apollo laughed.

"Oh right," Apollo said. "You're probably wondering what type of Cryptid I am, right?" When Zak nodded again, she smiled.

"I am what the Indians call a Dream Walker." Apollo told Zak. "That's why they have Dream Catchers. The Dream Catchers catch us Dream Walkers as we are wandering to and fro from one person's dreams to the next. We have often been said to be the cause of Nightmares."

"So, wait a minute," Zak said. "You mean you are the one causing all of this?" Apollo hung her head down in shame and nodded her head.

"Yes, I am." Apollo answered, tears flowing into her eyes. "I caused all of this deception, all of it!" Zak took a step away from Apollo as thunder cracked in the dreamscape and lightning flickered warningly.

"W-why?" He asked. "Why Apollo?" Apollo looked up, tears running freely down her face as she looked up at Zak with a hurt look on her face. Rain started falling from the sky, but it didn't soak either eleven year old.

"I had no choice." Apollo spat, and the wind picked up. "I had no choice at all. It was either this, or my parents would die." Zak looked at Apollo, confused.

"Why would your parents die?" He asked, and Apollo shook her head.

"No. I can't tell you anything more," Apollo stated, frightened. "If I tell you anymore, I shall be in trouble. Please Zak Saturday, trust me. Wake up, and don't go back to sleep. Don't come find me. Please, this is for your own good. It'd be better if this happened."

"Wait!" Zak said, taking a step towards the brunette that was quickly followed by another. "I don't understand!" Apollo shook her head sadly and took a step away from the boy.

"Please trust me Zak Saturday." Apollo said. "If you come after me, bad things will happen to you." Apollo raised her hand to the black sky, and pointed her index finger up to it. She yanked her finger down, pointing it straight down at Zak's feet, a bolt of lightning striking Zak.

The lightning disappeared, and Zak was gone, waking up.

As Zak sat up in his bed screaming, his parents rushed over to his room to find out what had their boy so distraught.

And that last thing Apollo told him would not leave his head.

"_If you die in your mind, you will die in your body. Death isn't something to play around with in your mind._"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So, that was the fourth chapter, and we're about 2/3 the way through this story. Now you see how this is going to be over in about two chapters? Yeah, I'm sorry... But, at least we're having fun, right?

Please Read and Review and tell me what you think!!!

~~Paw-Chan Signing Out~~


	5. Death By Dream

This chapter is technically the last chapter of the story, not including the epilogue up next. Sorry if it seems rushed.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays**

**Chapter 5**

Zak was vaguely aware of his mom asking him what was wrong, but he wasn't paying attention. He was too focused on breathing. If what Apollo said was true, didn't that mean she'd die too? That if she died, even in somebody else's dream, she'd die too?

"Zak, sweetie? Are you okay?" His mom's words finally got through to her son, and he looked up at her, a fake smile plastered on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine mom." He lied through his teeth.

"Alright, if you say so," His mom said, and his parents left the room. Fisk, however was another case.

"I'm fine Fisk!" Zak insisted. "We're brothers, remember? I'd let you know if something was wrong!" Zak felt really bad, lying to Fisk like that, but he had to. He needed to go back to sleep so he could go and find Apollo and save her!

Fisk grumbled a response, and left, and Zak gave a small smile and plopped down on his bed, sighing. Now all was left was to go back to sleep.

He closed his eyes, and let the darkness devour him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When Zak opened his eyes again, he was in the darkness again. He hesitated for a second, wondering if he should really be doing this. Apollo did tell him that he could die…

Zak shook away his doubt. He had to help Apollo, no matter what. Taking a deep breath, Zak closed his eyes.

"Alright mind," He said aloud, "Take me to Apollo." The colors in his surroundings swirled around, changing. When the swirling finally stopped, he was in front of a cell. In the cell, Apollo.

"Zak!" She gasped, noticing the boy. "You idiot! I told you not to come after me!" Zak laughed and rubbed the underside of his nose as he picked up the keys and unlocked the cell.

"Well, I guess you can see I'm a don't-follow-order, kind of kid." He said. "Now come on!" Apollo got up and exited, and posed a question.

"Where am I supposed to go?" She asked, and he looked at her, confused.

"Don't you have a body to go back to?" He asked her. She sighed and nodded.

"Yes, but I can't go back there!" She said. Zak looked at her confused.

"Why?" He asked her, and she sighed.

"Because, there are strict orders to kill me if I wake up." Apollo said. "If we want to get me out of here, we need to get rid of everybody holding me captive." Zak shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright." Zak said, throwing his arms behind his head. "Where are these guys then?" Apollo pointed her finger down the hall- something that Zak hadn't noticed until now.

"Well, some of them are coming right now." She said, and Zak noticed the men running down said hall. "Now, I have something serious to ask you." Zak looked at her, and their eyes connected.

"Yeah?" He asked her.

"Are you confident enough to kill somebody?" She asked him, and Zak almost took a step back.

"What?" He stuttered, not getting what Apollo wanted.

"If I want to be freed, we have to kill these men." Apollo told him. "Well, we could knock them unconscious, if that's okay." Zak nodded, and concentrated until his Claw appeared in the dream world with him.

"Knock them unconscious then," Zak said, and Apollo gave a curt nod before a staff appeared in her hand.

"Let's do this then!" Apollo agreed, and they charged the men.

It was a fairly even match, even if it was only two kids against a ton of adults. Mainly, because it took only ten seconds for Zak to realize that he could do (almost) whatever he wanted to in his dream.

They had the upper hand, until both of them were caught by the last two men, swords pointed at their necks. The men nodded, and they went to stab their necks.

"No!" Apollo shouted, her hand reaching out to Zak. A white light appeared in her hand, and the light ejected itself from her palm and enveloped Zak just as the swords were millimeters from their necks.

And Zak was ejected from the dream world.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When Zak woke up, he found himself shivering, unable to sleep. He told himself that he had to go back to sleep, he had to find out if Apollo was okay, but he couldn't. He was too afraid. Why, he wasn't sure, but he was afraid.

After about a half hour of trying to get back to sleep, he still couldn't fall asleep. He wanted to find out about Apollo, but his body still couldn't, still wouldn't, obey him. That was when it hit Zak that it was probably that white light Apollo had hit him with. She had hit him with something that wouldn't let him go back to sleep.

That way, he wouldn't go back to sleep to try and find her.

With a sigh, Zak sat up in bed. It looked like it was going to be a sleepless night for him.

And all he had wanted to do was find out if Apollo was okay.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So, that was the last chapter of **Nightmares** excluding the epilogue. Sad, I know. But, the epilogue should be up either tomorrow or later today. You guys will like the epilogue, I just know it! ^__^

Please Read and Review and tell me what you think!

~~Paw-Chan Signing Out~~


	6. Epilogue: The End

Alright, here's the epilogue! It's kind of short, like WAY shorter than my normal standards, but I feel the ending is as good as any.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays**

**Epilogue**

Zak eventually fell asleep near sunrise, kind of glad he was able to fall asleep, kind of not.

While he was asleep, he searched for Apollo in his dreams. Yet, no matter how hard he searched he could not find the brunette. It was as if she did not want to be found. Or, if she was… No! Zak would not think like that. He had to stay positive. He would not believe that Apollo was dead.

Besides, there was always the off chance that that white light she had used to wake him up woke her up too. You always had to think of the Brightside, no matter how bleak it seemed.

Oh, who was he kidding? Apollo had to be dead! After all those hours (well, not hours, as time flows differently in one's mind than the real world.) searching for her in his mind, it seemed fraught-less. She was more than likely already dead.

But then, where was her body? It shouldn't have disappeared, should it have? Ack, all this thinking was hurting his head. He didn't really understand any of this mind stuff.

Yawning, Zak sat up in bed, blinking as sun blinded his vision. Looking at his clock, he was surprised to see that it was almost noon. His parents never let him sleep in this long before! Something really had been wrong for them to do that.

Jumping out of bed, Zak immediately thought something was wrong. Had there been attack? Had they been taken captive by Van Rook? Or Argost?

Grabbing The Claw, Zak tiptoed down the hallway until he heard voices talking. One set of voices he recognized immediately was his parents. A third voice he heard shocked him.

"Well, I think Zak would be fun to play with, if he ever gets up out of bed." That was…! Zak fell through the door to the living room, stumbling upon his parents, two other adults, and a familiar looking brunette talking. The girl snickered upon seeing him fall.

"Have a nice trip?" She laughed. "See you next fall." She laughed, and even Zak had to crack a smile.

"Oh Zak, this is," Doc began, but the girl cut him off.

"I believe he knows me already," She said. "Don't you, Zakky?" Zak nodded.

"It's good to see your okay, Apollo," He smiled, and the girl laughed.

"I don't go down that easy Zakky," Apollo laughed, and the two smiled and ran off, leaving the parents slightly confused at what happened, but happy the kids were getting along.

Besides, what was one little nightmare to big ole' Zak Saturday?

_**The End**_

What? Did you actually think I killed Apollo? No way, I'd never do that! Besides, I wanted this to have a happy ending, no matter how crappy it may have been.

Please Read and Review and tell me what you think!

~~Paw-Chan Signing Out~~


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